Be Proactive in Preventing Vision Loss - Glaucoma Awareness Month

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD AN EYE EXAM?

DID YOU KNOW?

According to The Glaucoma Research Foundation:

• More than 2.7 million people in the United States over the age of 40, suffer from Glaucoma.

• Glaucoma is the 2nd leading cause of blindness after cataracts.

• African Americans are 15 times more likely to be visually impaired from Glaucoma than Caucasians

WHAT IS GLAUCOMA

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that is known to damage the optic nerve, leading to permanent vision loss.

A person usually does not experience any warning signs, and unfortunately there is no cure for this disease.

EARLY DIAGNOSIS

It has long been known that a person with Glaucoma, will have a unusually high eye pressure, also known as intraocular pressure. This high pressure is what damages a person’s optic nerve.

A routine eye test can detect the elevated ocular pressure.

If diagnosed early enough, a person can receive treatment with medication or surgery, which can slow or prevent further vision loss.

WHO IS AT RISK OF GLAUCOMA

A person is at risk for glaucoma if they are :

• African Americans aged 50 or older

• Hispanics aged 65 or older

• Currently have a family member has glaucoma or have a family history of glaucoma

• Diagnosed with diabetes

• An older adult

MEDICARE OFFERS AN EYE HEALTH BENEFIT

It’s important to check your insurance coverage to see whether or not it offers coverage for eye exams.

Although Medicare does not cover routine eye exams, Medicare does cover comprehensive dilated eye exams for certain people:

• people with diabetes

• people who are at higher risk for glaucoma.

If a person qualifies, Medicare will cover 80% of a doctor’s eye exam fee; and if the person has a secondary insurance, the secondary insurance company will cover the other 20% of the exam cost.

According to Medicare, the following people are eligible for this benefit:

• African Americans aged 50 or older

• Hispanics aged 65 or older

• People with a family history of glaucoma

• People with diabetes

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about glaucoma, speak with your eye doctor or visit:

The Glaucoma Research Foundation
A national non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure for glaucoma.
http://www.glaucoma.org/about

The Mayo Clinic
Diseases and Conditions – Glaucoma
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/glaucoma/basics/definition...

Glaucoma Foundation
TGF serves patients across the globe through its website, and on-line support groups.
https://www.glaucomafoundation.org/index.php

Photo from Print Shop

The information in this article is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient provider relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.

Please consult your health care provider for an appointment, before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.

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Linda Ziac is the owner and founder of The Caregiver Resource Center. Linda founded her company in October 1990, and provides concierge case management and advocacy services for seniors, people with special needs and families.

Linda’s professional career spans 39 years in the health and mental health field as a CT Licensed Professional Counselor, CT Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Board Certified Case Manager, and Board Certified Dementia Practitioner.

Linda’s role is to work with the client, their family and healthcare professionals to help assess, plan for and implement ways to allow for their greatest degree of health, safety, independence, and quality of life. We are often asked to help when a person is taken to the ER, is in the hospital, or there is a need to help assess and implement a plan to address a person’s day to day needs.

This process involves identifying a client’s abilities and needs, and helping to design a care plan (road map) that is composed of a spectrum of services, that best meets the unique needs of that particular client. A client and their family select the services that they want, and they only pay for those services.

http://www.CaregiverResourceCenter.com